Fightin' Barack Obama goes after the press, again

Yesterday at a town hall in Tampa, Fla., Obama said this about "our friends with the pads and the pencils":

Last week, I went to Ohio and I started saying what I'm saying now, which is, I'm going to fight for your future. And they got all worked up. They got worked up last week. They said, 'Is he trying to change his message? Is he trying to get more populist? Is this a strategy that he's pursuing to boost this, that and the other? Is this something new?

I've got some news of my own here. I've been fighting for working folks my entire adult life. That's why I entered public service -- to fight for folks in Chicago. That's why I ran for the state Senate. That's why I ran for the U.S. Senate. That's why I ran for president -- to fight for people here in Tampa, and people here in Florida, and to fight for people all across the United States of America.

Fair enough, Mr. President.

The Oval is reminded of an old Law & Order episode, in which prosecutor Jack McCoy offers his opinion about how reporters approach their job: "You two guys fight -- and we'll write about it."

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About David Jackson

David's journalism career spans three decades, including coverage of five presidential elections, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 2000 Florida presidential recount and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has covered the White House for USA TODAY since 2005. His interests include history, politics, books, movies and college football -- not necessarily in that order. More about David